The Shadow King: A Tale of Nature's Reflection and Legacy

Art Credit: Mitchel Ndaka with background assistance by Zikki Munyao

Long ago, there was a wise and benevolent king who loved nature. He was known for his deep connection with the environment and his kingdom flourished under his rule. This king had a special bond with trees, believing them to be the guardians of the earth. He spent much time in the forests, often meditating under a particular ancient tree, which he considered his confidant and advisor.

As the king grew older, he wished to leave a lasting legacy that would remind his people of the importance of living in harmony with nature. He sought the help of Ndaka, a renowned artist and visionary in his kingdom, known for his unique ability to capture the essence of nature in his art.

Ndaka, inspired by the king's love for trees, created a special reflective paint using natural ingredients. He carefully applied this paint to the king's favorite tree. The paint was invisible by day but would reflect the king's image in the shadows at night, especially when the moon was full.

The king was deeply moved by this tribute and decreed that the tree be protected and revered as a symbol of unity between humanity and nature. He passed away not long after, and his image appearing on the tree became a revered phenomenon. People from all over the kingdom would come to see the king's shadow on the tree, reminding them of his wisdom and his teachings about living in harmony with the environment.

Ndaka's creation was not just a tribute to the king but also an enduring reminder of the connection between humans and the natural world. His innovative use of reflective natural paint and his deep understanding of the king's love for nature made this miraculous reflection possible. The image of the king on the tree, especially visible in the dark, became a symbol of hope, wisdom, and the eternal bond between humans and the earth.

Afro Woman Evening Art

Under the evening sky, I’ve brought to life an enchanting scene on my canvas.

There’s this majestic tree, and within it, a captivating image of a woman emerges. Her hair, a stunning afro, is playfully knotted into puffs, adding a whimsical charm. Her sharp, cartoonish nose pairs perfectly with her bold, red lips, from which she’s blowing delicate love hearts into the night.

This artwork is a blend of nature, fantasy, and a dash of romance, all wrapped up in the tranquil embrace of the evening.

#ArtLovers #EveningInspiration #NatureMeetsArt #munyaoart

Friends Meet Up in Raleigh, NC

For over a decade now, this group of friends has made time at least once a year to meet up and enjoy together. It's a Brotherhood born from connections built from childhood days and through others. We're a unit.

The group is closer to 15 Diaspora friends all from Kenya. These are the few that made it to Raleigh, NC for our first meet up since COVID.

Great friends

Massive Sky in Iowa

When driving through parts of the Midwest like Iowa, take time to look up at the vastness of the sky. It’s massive.

Combine harvester briefly driving on a paved road in Iowa

Harvesting in Iowa, 2021

Operating heavy equipment is such a passion of mine. Never afraid to work hard.

Before operating the John Deere Combine Harvester

Kalasinga The Bull, Charges Catherine

By Catherine Wambua Soi

Let me tell you a story about "Kalasinga".

No, not an actual Kalasinga - from the Sikh community. 

Another one - beautiful, proud with black and white patches, a turban like head. Gentle eyes that can fool anyone.

He stood out from the rest because of his patchwork & to me - the eyes.

I met him ever so briefly.... but it was intense.

I will start from the beginning.

We were camping in Wamunyu, Eastern Kenya on a pristine fifty-acre piece of land owned by my cousins Zikki and Ruth Munyao. 

Our view was a dam which often attracts ducks and other birdlife. Monkeys have also been spotted in the surroundings but weirdly enough there are very few crawling bugs including mosquitoes. EUREKA!

Bamboo and other indigenous trees that are many years old provide the shade needed in a region many mistakenly say is dry and harsh.

 There are mango trees everywhere you look. This part of the country produces some of the best mangoes and we were right in time for the mango season.

When we arrived, the hosts took us round the property explaining the turns and twists of the terrain. 

They showed us a cow shed. The family has several head of cattle.

We did not see the Friesians during the tour but Zikki and Ruth made a point of warning us about one particular bull -the no nonsense "Kalasinga" with a penchant for charging at anyone and anything unprovoked.

So, when I went for my morning jog, I was very aware of my surroundings and the big bully bull.

 I did not see him on my way out, but I did see the rest of the animals and tried to make my presence known to the herdsman, Njoroge.

 Well, let's just say I failed to properly catch his attention because what the hosts did not tell us is that Njoroge has a hearing disability. 

I moved on thinking to myself "if I don't approach the cows, Kalasinga will not feel threatened"

Boy was I wrong. On my way back to camp I spotted Kalasinga with the rest of the herd. They were "peacefully" grazing behind the shed..."all good" I said to myself, adjusted my earphones, pumped up my music as I wound down my jog. I casually glanced back and there he was in all his aggression charging at me.

My adrenaline kicked in pretty fast. I sprinted like my life depended on it -I think it really did.

Right about then I also started screaming. Now I'm not a screamer so from my mind's perspective it sounded more like a squeal, a poor one. 

It however seemed to do the trick. I think Kalasinga met his match. That scream or squeal or whatever stopped him right on his tracks. I on the other was a bunch of nerves and still high on adrenaline so I did not stop till I got back to the campsite.

We joked about Kalasinga's temper and his dislike of anything he is not familiar with. 

That's farm life -you meet all sorts. My encounter with the patched, beautiful, angry bull was one of the highlights.

 When I saw "Kalasinga" again as we were leaving our serenity, heading back to the hustle and bustle of the city, I told myself that somehow, I will one day get him to like me.

See, I'm a big animal lover and I'm yet to meet one that I cannot charm and one day, maybe, just maybe, I'll turn that aggressive beast into a mushy, cuddly teddy bear.

 But on hindsight......NOT! 

Catherine Wambua-Soi is Al Jazeera's East and Central Africa producer. She covers Kenya, Somalia, Ethiopia, DR Congo, Sudan, South Sudan, Eritrea, Djibouti, Central African Republic, Burundi, Tanzania, and Uganda. She was nominated for an EMMY award for our news coverage in Burkina Faso in 2019.

Taurus Buffalo - August 2020

“AFRICAN BUFFALO HERDS “VOTE”
Researchers have discovered a curious phenomenon in female African buffalo: they appear to “vote” to decide which direction to move the herd in. During times of rest, the females sit on the ground facing the direction they think the herd should move. After resting time finishes, the herd then moves in the direction that the majority were pointing towards. The most interesting aspect of this observed behaviour is that it is communal: the dominance hierarchy does not appear to influence the “votes” of individual buffalo.”

— https://www.lionworldtravel.com/news/who-knew-7-brilliant-buffalo-facts

Taurus Buffalo - 24”x 36” Acrylic Painting on Canvas. August 2020

The most difficult painting I’ve done to date, partly due to the fact that I was trying to depict how dangerous the African Buffalo is, but the colors chosen, the texture and the stance painted took time to get close to what was on my mind.

To make matters more interesting, it was during this painting that I got stung by a Yellow Jacket Bee - I guess the bee knew how dangerous the animal in the painting was and gave its life by punishing me :)

Anyway, the painting came out well and now hangs in the basement of my house.

What else is cool about the African Buffalo?

“AFRICAN BUFFALO HORNS TELL MANY STORIES
In adult male African buffaloes, the base of their distinct, curving horns come so close together that the fuse. This creates a sort of shield on their heads known as a “boss”. Female buffalo horns do not have a “boss”, allowing researchers to distinguish between male and female buffalo more easily. In addition, the larger and thicker the horns in adult males, the more likely this male is to be higher ranked in the dominance hierarchy of the herd. In other words, you can tell a lot about an African buffalo from their horns!”

— https://www.lionworldtravel.com/news/who-knew-7-brilliant-buffalo-facts

Heavy Equipment and Farm Life

A snap shot into my farming experience at a friend’s farm in Iowa. Operating heavy equipment is a passion driven by my love of trucks and buses since childhood.

Hard work and getting dirty are part of the job, and I came ready. Best part was the weather where it remained summer-like for the 9 day duration spent out here.

Last year, temperatures averaged 22 degrees Fahrenheit which aren’t ideal for me since I’m a warm weather kinda guy.

Anyway, got to harvest with the Combine Harvester, Tilled with the Caterpillar, Drove the 18 Wheeler and even operated the backhoe. Good times!

Things I'd Like to See in the World

“It may well be that we will have to repent in this generation. Not merely for the vitriolic words and the violent actions of the bad people, but for the appalling silence and indifference of the good people who sit around and say, “Wait on time.””

— Martin Luther King Jr.

1. End to killing of wild animals, especially Elephants & Rhino

2. Every child literate and educated

3. People putting people first

4. Healthy people with access to healthcare

5. Philanthropy be cool

6. Living simple be an aspiration

7. More women leaders

Windmills in Iowa. I took this picture on one of the local roads.

This is a living blog that I will continually update over time. We can collectively make our homes, communities, countries better by planning and working toward things that will help ourselves and others.

Mambalicious - July 2020

“Every day, I live a lie
But not the crocodile kind.”

— Megan McCafferty

Mambalicious. Acrylic Painting on 24”x 36” Canvas. Completed July 2020

My paternal grandfather was known as King’ang’i, Kamba (my mother tongue) for Crocodile. He had a way of getting things done and owned a prominent arts and crafts store at the City Market, located in Nairobi, Kenya. Walking up to his store, you were welcomed by large unique hand made Mahogany & Ebony carvings. This painting takes me back to my pre-teen days when I visited the store, and he’d buy me lunch, a comic book or car magazine from a street vendor who set up daily at the market entrance.

This painting took patience and time but the outcome speaks for itself. The facemask that I wear on a daily basis is based on this painting. My cover pages on social media are of this image. Soon, this painting will be on a t-shirt.

Mambalicious Mask at Common House.

You may also recall from “My Creative Journey” blog that this was named Mambalicious by my niece Laura.

I think my late grandfather would approve. My hope is that one day, I’ll find a good carver who can turn this into a life-size carving.

Nthenya R - June 2020

“Creativity is the power to connect the seemingly
unconnected. ”

— William Plomer

Nthenya R. Acrylic Painting on 24”x 46” Canvas. Completed June 2020

This painting was based on a picture I took of Ruth Nthenya and my attempt at turning it into a painting. It was both a gift and a test of my ability.

A song that comes to mind is “Get Up, Stand Up” by Bob Marley. In my mind, there’s a strong correlation between the art and the song’s lyrics.

“Preacher man, don’t tell me
Heaven is under the earth
I know you don’t know
What life is really worth
It’s not all that glitters is gold
’Alf the story has never been told
So now you see the light, eh
Stand up for your rights, come on

Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up, don’t give up the fight
Get up, stand up, stand up for your rights
Get up, stand up, don’t give up the fight

Most people think
Great God will come from the skies
Take away everything
And make everybody feel high
But if you know what life is worth
You will look for yours on earth
And now you see the light…”

— Bob Marley

The Internal R - Remy's Painting

“When we engage in what we are naturally suited to do, our work takes on the quality of play, and it is play that stimulates creativity.”

— Linda Naiman

Remy and I are a team and he’s a creative bright young man. In the video below, he shares his painting, aptly named “Internal R.”

Mask is from Munyao.art. Check the current available masks here.

Munyao.art has Merchandise

““Being good in business is the most fascinating kind of art. Making money is art and working is art and good business is the best art.””

— Andy Warhol

It's exciting to see my art turning into cool designs on merchandise to include hand made embroidered masks, short & long sleeve t-shirts, hoodies and tank tops.

We also are building a partnership with Custom Ink to fundraise for JuzaAfrica.org work Empowering Youth in Africa.

Let us know what you think and check out additional creative design below:

Check out Empowered with a cool background made with Adobe Spark.

Painting Time-lapse of Matumaini (Hope)

“Art enables us to find ourselves and lose ourselves at the same time.”

— Bob Ross

‘Matumaini’. Swahili Word for Hope.

This is my tribute to the struggle all over the world, with the juxtaposition that Africa is a gift to all. The hand signifies the ability to open up and give while showing much being taken.

I’ll blog on the experience and motivation later this year.

Thank you to all my friends and colleagues for the positive feedback. Glad to reconnect with so many of my friends. Art does bring us together.

Golden Baobab - May 2020

“Art takes nature as its model.”

— Aristotle

Golden Baobab. 24”x 36” Canvas. Completed May 2020

In my humble opinion, this painting turned out way better than I anticipated because one thing that worried me during sketching was how to show height of these majestic African trees. Growing up, whenever we drove to the Kenyan Coast, you’d see these magnificent, old and gorgeous trees all over. They are fascinating to see and I knew once the thought came to mind, that it had to be a great painting. I love it.

What song comes to mind when I look at this painting? Mighty Joshua’s “Clean Hands.” This song is simple and shares a positive message with a cool reggae beat.

Joshua is a friend who’s doing work to empower people in his community in Richmond, VA as well as the children of the Makindu Children’s Program in Kenya. Guess what type of trees you’ll find in and around Makindu? Yep… Baobabs’.

Magnificent Zebra - April 2020

“There’s no limit to how much you’ll know, depending how far beyond zebra you go.”

— Dr. Seuss

Magnificent Zebra. Acrylic Painting on a 24”x 36” Canvas. Completed April 2020

This is by far most of my friends’ favorite painting. It’s very cool in so many ways. The paint mix making up for white stripes was a mix I gambled with and had just enough to complete the entire painting. Did you notice the birdie on the Zebra? Nature is beautiful and this Zebra is magnificent. This painting also has the most offers on the table and is reserved.

What song comes to mind? Hmm…

The Salmon Dance by the Chemical Brothers. (Fish Pay Attention to the Moon)

I feel like this Zebra could walk out of the canvas, start a conversation with you and probably teach you how to dance.

Elephants Birdie - March 2020

““Everything you can imagine is real.” ”

— Pablo Picasso

Elephants Birdie. Completed March 2020. Painting on 24”x 36” Canvas

This painting was fun. The blue background stood for a few weeks and most people thought it was the actual painting. Makes me think that simpler background-like paintings will be something on future canvases. The birds are in and around the elephant symbolizing the presence on the ground and the sky. Love this painting.

What song comes to mind when I think look at this painting? Benny Benassi’s, “Come Fly With Me.”

“I’m glidin’ in the beautiful sky,
It’s such a clear day.
Go ridin’ in,
Your sweet lullabies,
Come fly away.”

— https://www.lyricfind.com/

Origin - February 2020

“Creativity is not a competition.”

— Autumn Sky Hall

Origin. Acrylic Painting on 36”x 48” Canvas. Completed February 2020

Origin is one of my personal favorites. My neighbor Dona C. Mann and I decided to exchange original works, and this was my contribution to their collection of art. I therefore asked Donna to write a few lines of her thoughts on the painting. See her thoughts below:

“Having taught English, literacture and social studies most of my thirty years, I felt most engaging when focusing on the origins of civilization.

The stories of the Fertile Crescent and African Villages fascinated me then as they do even more so today. IN order to model my teacher/student creed, “I’ll never ask you to do anything I would not do,” I conducted my own action research research project on elephants.

My love for them and intrigue with their societal behaviors instilled a great respect after that experience. Imagine how exciting I was to move next door to an amazing family who sponsor elephants in their native Kenya.

When Zikki presented the surprise painting to me, my first reaction was, “Origin of the Species.” His simple reply? “I named this work Origin.”

Whenever I look at this piece of art, I am blessed that we share such an amazing connection with the country of Kenya and the ever evolving African Continent.”

— Dona C. Mann

When I asked Dona, what song comes to mind when you look at the painting, she said, “Circle of Life.”

“In the circle of life
It’s the wheel of fortune
It’s the leap of faith
It’s the band of hope
’Til we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle, the circle of life”

— Circle of Life

Thank you Donna.